Equalizer and shutoff valve



J-. A. LAUCK EQUALIZER AND SHUTOFF VALVE Feb. 6, 1 945.

Filed Oct. 14.

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DSN

Patented Feb. 6, 1945 EQUALIZER AND SHUTOFF VALVE John A. Lauck, SouthEuclid, Ohio, assignor to Pesco Products Co., Cleveland, Ohio, avcorporation of Ohio Application October 14, 1943, Serial No. 506,209

4 Claims. (Cl. 13'1-78)y This invention relates to pressure equalizingor fluid dividing arrangements and particularly to arrangements forcontrolling the inlet How in accordance with conditions existing in thevplural outlets therefrom. l

It is the general object of this invention to provide a novel controlarrangement for regulating the flow to an equalizer in accordance withthe relative pressures existing in the separate outlet streams leadingfrom the equalizer to separate pressure responsive instrumentalitiessubject to varying resistances and hence imposing correspondinglyvarying back pressures on said equalizer.

It is la further object to provide in combina; tion with a ow divider, acontrol valve for regusure through inlet line l2 to a special equalizerinlet control valve arrangement indicated gene Y erally at I4 from whichthe pressure liquid is led lating the introduction of liquid theretovand means responsive to a selected differential of pressure existing inseparate outlet streams from said divider effective to cause theoperation of the regulating valve. K

I am aware that it has lbeen proposed heretofore to employ a valvearrangement responsive to loss of pressure in a line, such for exampleas when the line becomes ruptured, to shut off now therethrough.However, I am not aware of any previously known arrangement of thepresent character, performing in an equivalent manner to produce theimportant results'accomplished by my invention. v

Other objects, uses and advantages of lmy in..v

vention will become apparent from a reading of the followingspeciiication taken in connection with the accompanying drawing `forminga part thereof and wherein the single figure comprisesl V a schematiclayout View of a system incorporating a preferred embodiment of myinvention.

In order to realize the most eiiicient operation of a hydraulic pressureequalizer or flow divider as well as to insure against suchemergenciesas the loss of the fluid from the system by Virtue of therupture of one of the outlet lines from the equalizer, it has been foundnecessary to control delivery of hydraulic iiuid to the equalizer Vinaccordance with the'press'ure conditions existing in the outlet line. Ihave discovered that the most effective way of accomplishing this is toprovide a flow control valve in the inlet line tothe flow divider and toprovide pressure responsive means responsive to the occurrence of aselected differential' of pressure between separate ones of i the outletlines for producing the operationof the inlet flow control valve.

The hydraulic pressure supply arrangement in-y dicated generally at I0delivers liquid under presthrough conduit I6 tothe common inlet of aflow equalizer or divider I8 which is eectiveto divide the single inletstream into a'pluralityj of separate outlet streams adapted to be ledthrough separate conduits 20 and 22 vto corresponding fluid pressureresponsive'instrumentalitieslll and 26 subject to varying 'and differentresistances to the operation thereof. f v

My inletcontrol and operating'meanstherefor comprises essentially aValve proper 30 effective when closed against seat 32 to shut offth'eflow between inletl line l2 yand the equalizerl together with'pressureresponsive means indicated generally at 34 effective upon the occur'-rence of a predetermined diiferenceinA the'pres'- sures in lines 20 and22 to cause the closing aof valve 30` and also responsive to theestablishment of alesser difference of pressure between these outletlines effective toV maintain valve`30 in the open position thereofproviding for free flowito the inlet ofdivider I8. l y 5 In-thepreferred embodiment `shown in ythe drawing, valve 30 has a generallymushroom formincluding a tubular stem extending from the back side ofvalve proper 30, terminating .in va pistonlike guide portion 30areceived in a complementary cylinder 30h. In addition the opp0 site faceof valve proper 30 has extending therefrom 'a` generally coaxialprotuberance 30e ter'- minating in a cam follower 30d and providedinseat is preferably provided by an annular ring 38 received Within acomplementary enlarged bore 40 and sealed with reference thereto bymeans of a sealing ring 42 'this annular ring 38beingretained within thebore by means of a snap ring 44. An inlet passage 46 communicateswitl'iprevssure supply inlet une l2. yIrwin benoted that valve seat 32has theI same cross-sectionalzarea as the cylinder 30h vand-hence withvalve30in engagement with the seat the inletfpressure does not exert anyopening force upon "the valve. Valve 30 is guided and maintained'inaxial alignment bythe cooperation of piston guide portions 30a thereofwith cylindricalbore 30h and `by the tion to hold 'cam follower 30d inpraisednnosition rection of the relatively low pressure with the resultthat cam follower 30d is forced by springs 30j along. the inclined camrise 48h on one side for in turn holding valve 30 inopenposition pro- Aviding for free flow therepast.. 'On either side .of elevated dwellportion 48a there is provided a recess defined by an inclined cammingsurface or rise 48b effective when thecam/'andfplungenassembly 48 isshifted from central position to allowA cam follower 30d to move invalve closing direc# tionz underitliaini'luence offspizin'gl llivimnxoppo- :site sides. nef. the fcaimaareA opposed; 'pistoni-likeceivedy i,respectivefly.- in. f cylindrical chamberslwl'e fanxiflll.

Eiiferential pressure responsive episton "and .-'spiiingrnrotive means51lrand-r52: preferably fsimil ar .inisconstructiomLinciude'r.-reciprocablez'pistons@5ta faIrdfEZw-.urge'difby' "ccilicompression: springs-.Elib andjzlbinthefdirectionlrfzonef'another; Thesepistons are received withirr.=fenlangedi;bores 150C -andi52crswhich:bores arefralso mealignment'with smaller# plunger receiving coassialibores fteifamd saure respectively when the zparti'cular'plungerfhasrtherendtithereof-:k prdiecte dt'into' .ztneiienlargedfpistomrhnrefcztoicc.'asrthefcasenray be. 'Illrc :derentiabzpressure:responsiveimotive fadaptersrilci.-andzfZ; :.The choice.I of;vsprings-5919 fi andi 5-2bzas'zwell `'asi-ther:extent:to `vwhich' the fsamev fare compressedzdetermines the f-value: of. zthe=Y dif-.fenentialqpressure existingzbetween'1the=aseparate .dividedioutletlflinesathat ais-f efective to produce .thezoperation'fo:valve3.0. I

A=I\1:1".foperation',,under ether conditions-3v existing :as`illustnatedim the ,rpositi'one ofi'theJpump-.shownv in ther drawing;Y.hydraulic .fluid pressure y is` f being :delivered f-through.-inlet'line 42, regulator `.valve :inlet:46,1past valvef30,and-throughfline |=6ntotl1e` or the other of elevated dwell 48a thuseffecting closure of valve and the shutoff of pressure through inlet 46.When this pressure dierentialhas again been reduced below the value forwhich coil. compression springl h. and .EZbare-provided then the camxand plunger' assemblyiwill again be shifted to moveelevated cam dwell48a to the- ;mid `position thereof causing cam follower 30d to rise upalong inclined )cam rise 48h to thus .zaga'mreopen and hold valve. 3l)until the selected value of differential pressure in the outlet lines isagain exceeded.

'Whil'e,. as ppointed out'above,'the motive means for operating shutoffvalve 30 may be ade responsive .to la'selected differential of pre sure0ccurring in the divided outlet lines 20 and 22 the arrangement isparticularly adaptable for insur- 'ngzagainstathealoss of fluidfromthe.entireisystem? by rupture aof oneiorfthe .,otherzof thef outletlsatisfactoryoperation: islobtainedwhere the/same is arranged to rclosevalve 30 incresponseatothe occurrence: .of .-a'pressure-differential;inaexcesst of 1300 lbs. per lsquarey inch..

`While the hereindisclosedashutoff `valve farrangement. is: applicable:in: connection -witlrI 'iiuid dividers generally -fadapted rto'fsupplyzfluid ypressure :consuming instrumentalities: subject to .varying.resistances, 1I; have n f ound'f. that :thezfsaine y operates toparticularwadvantagein connection with a gear type divider such as thatshownnin Johnson patent. vNo; l21,2SlL'5278v :and indicatedvschema-ti@ally'at y|58'. \.In thisetypecof dividerthe volumetric:`efli'cienicy 'of thefiitespective gearunits -variese .withwvariationsinthe .back pressures .in .the 4separa-te. outlet lines. .Where thedivider: is

employedftodeliver equal quantitiesv of pressurefluid to operate andsynchronizefrremotely-located LArams and the:finstrumentalii'fies.vVoperated by these:rramsfencounter1:sufficiently' widely dii-.fering'sresistanceseto theopenation:.thereof then.

the back qpressuresainfthe .outlet lines-array differ sogreatly that thev ;rams-- arewnc longer una-inta'ined; in `synchronism. Under such`conditions the-.systemshouldnot be continuedzin operation:buenowftheretoashouldfbasant mr. Tmmvouid fwhereinethessingleistreameis l,divided-into -;a.plu`

.,ralityfof. separate. streams .andfled .throughacon .duits20-and-.22.toseparate;fluidpressure responsiue..devices.shown -:1s-.rams .,24..and...26. So.. long .as .thelhack pressuresin..separateaoutlet lines`Zll Van'dZZl rdorlot "differ'jby an amount. in excess .of `tl`1e v`value`for which 4'coil' vcompression springs "5017; andi 2li areprovdedthenthese opposedp-resslnescdelivered 'to :cylindricalf bores i500 and552e ykmaintain thefnecessary' counterba'lancing'effectJengagenrent'wvith-camy `'follower 30d -for "holding i 'nalveJ-Uri'nopen positiona fwhemhoweven'there foccunsastlierence'fin the pressuresexisting in 1tl'tef sepmatearautletilines; llf-a-nd 212- j the relative1 -dropfimtnepressnrefiactingfon ith'e. remote end'of plunger4Ba:orr.4diasthe:casezmay be v.will cause ftheznamizamdiplungen assemblythefdi'- .ly :indicated: schematically .that the :same v:may

be particularly true where the Vrains....areeemployed toI operate:theslanding. iiapsf of .fanaircraft Tsincethe stability of :theg-.planer undensuch icon- .ditions will depend-;upon. the ilandingv'flaps :being operated in substantially f complete synchronism.

,I-t-v willnthus appear-'that-zmy fspecialf arrangement .ofashutoivalveand:diierentialgpressurerespone sive-:means for operating:- .thefsame` is :noi-,.f'limited .toI the 4single 'f e1nergenc5r` conditionsr.resulting fromy :rupture .of :one:.of--y the: lines 2:01.01'Z'Zffbutfis :equally .applicable '.wheref it is :desirable: tozfshut:off 1t.hevmain-ir1letoiowin'rresponse to. .any.dselectedcdiiferentialofe pressure'.appearingbetweenItheitwo-:outletflines Zemandfilz, 4

'ltwillzbe apparentfthat;anyzdesired arrange- .ment.;may be `'provided.1f-or :supplying Mythe-f inlet i `withxhydraulicppressurevandalihai/ermenecomprise' Ea ffourewayf" valvelillfcapable .ot `sseslectiveiydelivering @said pressure:thrtuighy inlet l'line M21A or returningfthefsameitherefrom,-z a.relief lnecessary additional conduitzlineszorreturning While I have described my invention ink connection withcertain specific embodiments there of, it is to be understood that thisis by way of example and that I intend my invention to be y dened by theappended claims.

I claim:

l. In a ow divider arrangement including means defining a hydraulicpressure supply line, means defining a ilow divider having a commoninlet communicating with said supply line and a plurality of separatedivided outlets adapted to be led to corresponding pressure consumingdevices subject to varying resistances to the operation thereof, thecombination therewith of means defining a shut off valve positioned insaid inlet line to said divider, means for controlling the position ofsaid valve including means for holding the same in open position so longas the respective pressures in said outlet do not differ by an amountwhich exceeds a selected'value, said means being responsive to theoccurrence of a pressure diiierential in excess of said selected valueto effect closing of said valve to shut oi the oW to said divider.

2. In a ilow divider arrangement including means dening a hydraulicpressure supply line, means defining a flow divider having a commoninlet communicating with said supply line and a plurality of separateoutlets adapted to be led to corresponding pressure consuming devices tocorresponding pressure consuming devices subject to varying resistancesto the operation thereof, the combination therewith of means for biasingsaid valve toward closed position, means defining a shiftable cam havinga normal position engaging said follower and holding said' valve ininset position, means responsive to the occurrence of a selectedmaximumrdifferential subject to Varying resistances to the operation lthereof, the combination therewith of means defining a shutoff valvepositioned in said inlet line to said divider, means for operating saidshuto valve to opened and to closed position comprising means responsiveto outlet pressures in said respective outlet lines, said last namedmeans being operable in `response to the occurrence of a predeterminedpressure diierential between said separate outlet lines due to diierentresistances to flow therethrough to effect v closing of said inlet linevalve and operable in response to a reduction of said differentialpressure to eiecting opening thereof. l

3. In a ilow divider arrangement including means dening a hydraulicpressure supply line, means defining a flow divider having a commoninlet communicating with said supply line and -a plurality of separateoutlets adapted to be led between the pressures in said separate outletsfrom saiddivider for effecting shifting of said cam to a position awayfrom said follower Whereby said valve closes and flow to said divider isshut oft'. l

4. In a flow divider arrangement including means defining a hydraulicpressure supply line, means defining a, flow divider having a commoninlet communicating with said supply line and a plurality of separatedivided outlets adapted to be led to corresponding pressure consumingdevices subject to varying resistances to the operation thereof, thecombination therewith of means dening a shutoff Valve positioned insaidinlet line, means for holding said valve in opened position, effectingthe movement of said valve to closed position and for eiecting theopening .of said valve, said means comprising a pair of opposedplungers, a valve operating and holding cam interposed between saidplungers for operation thereby, means placing the remote end of one ofsaid plungers in communication with 'the pressure in one ofA saiddivided outlet lines and means placing the remote end of said otherplunger in communication with the pressure in another outlet line,spring means urging said` plungers and cam toward a mid position Whereinsaid cam is effective to hold said valve in opened position, saidplungersv being responsive I to the occurrence of a predeterminedmaximum differential of pressure between-said outlet lines to move saidcam from the mid-position and eiect the closing of said valve to'shutoff the supply `of inlet fluid pressure, said plungers being responsiveto the reestablishment of pressures within said outlet lines differingby an amount less than said selected maximum value to effect themovement of said cam to cause the reopening of said valve.

JOHN A. LAUCK.

